JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. C-1, created 24 Feb. 1845–3 July 1845; handwriting of , , Jonathan Grimshaw, and ; 512 pages, plus 24 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the third volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This third volume covers the period from 2 Nov. 1838 to 31 July 1842; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, D-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
This document, “History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842],” is the third of six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church” (in The Joseph Smith Papers the “Manuscript History” bears the editorial title “History, 1838–1856”). The completed six-volume collection covers the period from 23 December 1805 to 8 August 1844. The narrative in this volume commences on 2 November 1838 with JS and other church leaders being held prisoner by the “’s forces” at , Missouri, and concludes with the death of Bishop at , Illinois, on 31 July 1842. For a more complete discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to this history.
Volume C-1 was created beginning on or just after 24 February 1845 and its narrative was completed by 3 May 1845, although some additional work continued on the volume through 3 July of that year (Richards, Journal, 24 and 28 Feb. 1845; Historian’s Office, Journal, 3 May 1845; 3 and 4 July 1845). It is in the handwriting of and contains 512 pages of primary text, plus 24 pages of addenda. Additional addenda for this volume were created at a later date as a supplementary document and appear in this collection as “History, 1838-1856, volume C-1 Addenda.” Compilers and Thomas Bullock drew heavily from JS’s letters, discourses, and diary entries; meeting minutes; church and other periodicals and journals; and reminiscences, recollections, and letters of church members and other contacts. At JS’s behest, Richards maintained the first-person, chronological-narrative format established in previous volumes, as if JS were the author. , , , and others reviewed and modified the manuscript prior to its eventual publication in the Salt Lake City newspaper Deseret News.
The historical narrative recorded in volume C-1 continued the account of JS’s life as prophet and president of the church. Critical events occurring within the forty-five-month period covered by this text include the Mormon War; subsequent legal trials of church leaders; expulsion of the Saints from Missouri; missionary efforts in by the and others; attempts by JS to obtain federal redress for the Missouri depredations; publication of the LDS Millennial Star in England; the migration of English converts to ; missionary efforts in other nations; the death of church patriarch ; the establishment of the city charter; the commencement of construction of the Nauvoo ; the expedition that facilitated temple construction; the introduction of the doctrine of proxy baptism for deceased persons; the dedicatory prayer by on the Mount of Olives in Palestine; publication of the “Book of Abraham” in the Nauvoo Times and Seasons; publication of the JS history often referred to as the “Wentworth letter;” the organization of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo; and the inception of Nauvoo-era temple endowment ceremonies.
<June 4 s damages> any such treatment as was threatened. However at length from false and wicked reports, circulated for the worst of purposes, the inhabitants of the Upper Counties of , commenced hostilities, threatened to burn our dwellings and even the lives, of our people if we did not move away, and afterwards, horrid to relate they put their threats into execution. Our people endeavored to calm the fury of our enemies, but in vain, for they carried on their depredations to a greater extent than ever, until most of our people, who lived in places at a distance from the Towns, had collected together, so, that they might be better able to escape from the fury of our enemies and be in better condition to defend their lives, and the little property they had been able to save. It is probable, that our persecutors might have been deterred from their purposes, had not wicked and shameful reports been sent to the of the , who ordered out a very large force to exterminate [HC 3:373] us; when they arrived at we were told what were their orders, however they did not fall upon us, but took several of my friends and made them prisoners, and the day after, a company of the Militia came to my house and ordered me to go with them into the Camp. my family at that time particularly needed my assistance, being much afflicted; I told them my situation, but was in vain, and I was hurried into the Camp, and was subject to the most cruel treatment I along with the rest of the Prisoners was ordered to be shot, but it was providentially over-ruled, we were then ordered to where our bitterest persecutors resided; before we started, after much entreaty, I was privilege[d] to visit my family, accompanied with a strong Guard, I had only time to get a change of linen &c and was hurried to where the teams were waiting to convey us to the city of in Jackson County. While there I was subject to continual insult, from the people who visited us; I had likewise to lie on the floor and had to cover myself with my mantle, after remaining there for some time, we were ordered to in Ray County, where our enemies expected to shoot us; but finding no law to support them in carrying into effect so strange an act, we were delivered up to the civil law, as soon as we were so, we were thrust into a dungeon, and our legs were chained together; in this situation we remained until called before the Court who ordered us to be sent to , in Clay County, where I was confined for more than four months, and endured almost every thing but death, from the nauseous cell, and the wretched food we were obliged to eat, In the mean time, my family were suffering every privation— Our enemies carried off nearly every thing of value, until my family were left almost destitute, my had been but recently confined, and had to suffer more than tongue can describe, and then in common with the rest of the people had to move in the month of February, a distance of two hundred miles in order to escape further persecutions and [p. 953]